The Strength Of Camelot
by MerlinWatsonBridger
Summary: "We got through this last time Arthur, and that was when there were only 4 of us. But now he has the whole of Camelot against him, and you know how loyal your citizens are. He doesn't stand a chance." When a familiar face makes a re-appearance everyone is put to the test. Friendships are trusted upon but just how strong is the kingdom of Camelot?
1. Chapter 1

Dear readers, I really hope you all enjoy this- just a heads up some parts in this story will be readable but won't make complete sense unless you have read the previous story Merlin and the sands of time. Feel free to look at my bio and read that first or just carry on with this one! Thank you and enjoy the story :)

Peace had rung out throughout the land for a year now. Arthur's second year in reign had been utterly successful- his people were devoted, his knights loyal and his manservant… Late. Then again- if Arthur were to think on the positive side this meant more time in bed. With a lazy grin, Arthur snuggled further into his duvet.

"WAKEY WAKEY!" Merlin's cheery tone snapped Arthur from his half-conscious daze.

"You're late" Arthur's muffled tone could be heard from the duvets.

"Ah, and good morning to you too sire." Merlin quipped back "Now- are you going to be able to untangle yourself from that mess, or…?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure I'll be fine" Arthur assured him. He then attempted to get up, before promptly half falling out of the bed, the tangle of duvet leaving his head mere inches from the floor and his legs raised off the bed. Merlin immediately erupted into uncontrollable laughter, while the mighty Pendragon swiped his arms around madly in an attempt to untangle himself.

"Well help me, Merlin." Arthur ordered impatiently, so the hysterical manservant trotted over, took one hand and pulled sharply on a corner of the blanket. The duvet rolled out instantly, leaving a half-dazed, half-shocked Arthur slumped on the floor.

"And now your breakfast!" Merlin exclaimed, shoving some bread and cheese into his master's mouth while he was still slightly disorientated.

"Mewim!" Was the yelled response as food spat out from Arthur's mouth.

Scouring through the markets was always a fun task. Merlin had been asked to collect some more fabric for Arthur's new tunic. He knew Arthur had picked an easy chore for him; clearly the king was in a good mood, and so was Merlin. The stalls were full of colour and life- emerald greens moulded with fuzzy pinks as tangerines sparked out from deep blues. It was magical. Here was where everyone's individual lives joined, as the task of trading was set around much socialising. Smiles and laughs were present everywhere. Taking a moment to breathe in the buzzing life of the town, Merlin paused, closing his eyes for a second-

CRASH

A small, hooded man collided straight into Merlin. The boy's eyes shot open, posture suddenly tense and rigid.

"Oh, I am so so sorry" A creepy, sing song voice cooed.

"D-don't worry about it." Merlin replied, nervously curious as to why he recognised the voice.

"I hope you don't mind but I seemed to have dropped my pear. Could you get it for me? I wouldn't ask, it's just my limbs aren't what they used to be." The man requested.

"Of course" Merlin smiled. He still felt off about him, however he wouldn't refuse a favour. He bent down to pick up the pear, feeling its soft texture, and placed it into the man's basket. He was just withdrawing his hand when- slap! A hand came around his wrist, hastily pulling him down towards the man's face. The grip was surprisingly strong for such a seemingly old man.

"Listen Merlin. I'm giving you a little head start here. Camelot is definitely in danger." He giggled before continuing " I should know, because I'm the one who's gonna cause it." As Merlin tried to flinch away the man pulled him close, revealing his face to the manservant. Merlin was shocked. This pale, green face was one he hadn't ever expected to see again.

"Eernseth." He gasped.

"Glad you finally recognised me… I just hope that Camelot is as strong as you believe it is." With that the man spat out a laugh before whirling around and disappearing. Seemingly no-one else had been alerted to the event, and no trace had been left of Eernseth, only a small rotten pear rolled around the ground. Merlin picked it up, curious as to why the man had left it. The words "good luck" had been bitten into the flesh of the pear.

"I swear it to you Arthur, it was him." Merlin insisted for the third time.

"But Merlin- how?" The king asked, pacing his room.

"I don't know! All I know is that he left us with this." Merlin pulled the pear from his tunic, with the words 'good luck' facing the king.

"Of course- a year of peace would be too much to ask." The king said despondently. At this remark Merlin's face softened. Arthur may have been reluctant to believe him, but that was all with good reasons- Eernseth had not created the best of memories before, and Merlin still flinched slightly at the sight of sand.

"I don't want to believe it either Arthur, but it was him. He had me close enough to his face, and I'm sure we can both agree that one does not forget features like his." Merlin said, visibly cringing.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Arthur asked, his hand subconsciously reaching for his sword.

"No, no, slight grip on my wrist but I think he was mainly there to deliver a message; that Camelot is in danger."

"You're kidding!" Gwaine blurted out "There is no way that slime of a man was in Camelot."

"I'm afraid so Gwaine" Merlin confirmed.

"Because clearly he didn't cause enough damage last time." Leon added with an edge to his voice.

"But we beat him last time; I'm sure we can do it again." Merlin encouraged.

"You bet! This time round, Eernseth's gonna wish he never messed with us in the first place."

The round table meeting hadn't gone on for very long, but preparations were already being made as people tried to defend against whatever Eernseth could throw at them.

"Right okay, the night watchmen will be doubled, as well as the security coming into the castle. I'd say we should cleanse and make ready all weaponry for easy access." Arthur suggested.

"I agree your highness, and another suggestion would be the evacuation of the lower town."

"Ah yes Leon, we would need to make easy exits." Arthur agreed.

"Maybe if we had patrols around there with mapped out routes as to where the people should be taken." Percival put forward.

"Good one Percy!" Gwaine complimented "Although I would suggest that the castle still keeps some defences for itself- knowing that creepy bloke he'll want to strike the heart." Gwaine added.

"Okay, well put everyone. The roles were given out earlier, so if you could all complete your individual duties then report back. This meeting is closed." Arthur concluded as chairs scuffed and small talk was made as everyone made their way from the room.

"Seems like we have a strong plan Arthur" Merlin commented.

"I can only hope it'll be enough" Arthur spoke, eyes looking doubtful.

Placing a hand on the worrying King's shoulder, Merlin did his best to comfort him. "We got through this last time Arthur, and that was when there were only 4 of us. But now he has the whole of Camelot against him, and you know how loyal your citizens are. He doesn't stand a chance." Receiving a small smile from Arthur, Merlin grinned back. They were both all too ready to get this over and done with.

However getting it over and done with was taking a lot longer than both boys wanted…


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on! It's almost been 3 weeks now and nothing!" Arthur yelled furiously.

"Arthur you have to calm down."

"Calm down? Merlin, this is a serious threat- what do you not understand about that?"

"I understand all of that!" Merlin snapped "But I also understand that this is exactly what he wants. He's waiting to build up the tension, to distract us so that we are weakest when he strikes. He wants you to feel like this." Merlin finished, all the frustration from him seeping into his words. A silence fell upon them as Merlin's words hit Arthur like a ton of bricks- of course his manservant was right. It had taken Arthur acting like an arrogant prat for him to see that. He glanced across to his manservant, who had seemingly taken to picking up the crumpled clothes Arthur had strewn around from earlier.

"Merlin- I" He began to say.

"I know Arthur" He interrupted, before leaving the room.

It took another week before the first sign of danger came around the corner. It was a grey storm cloud, visible rumbling in the distance, clearly making its way towards Camelot no matter the wind direction. Its puffy shape was no comfort as its dull atmosphere sent darkness across the land and provided only silence. It was as though something was being held up there, but it was yet to be released. Every now and then a deep roar would erupt from the centre of the cloud, notifying everyone around to its presence.-

"There have been reports sire. The cloud seems to be unleashing storms every now and then, destroying vital farm land. However, one farmer claimed that the worst of it seemed to be heading towards us." Percival recounted.

"Ready the defences- this storm will reach us within the early hours of tomorrow- we don't know what it'll bring."

Tomorrow morning brought nerves upon everyone. Merlin hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep, his magic constantly alarming him of the danger that was stooping ever closer to Camelot. Arthur hadn't slept too well either, his mind too set on making sure everything he could possibly do was prepared for tomorrow. He had seen Eernseth's work first hand, and wasn't going to leave anything to chance.

Merlin couldn't lie still any longer. The cloud was just outside of Camelot's walls, and, knowing he wasn't going to get any more sleep, he crept out of his bed and past the slumbering Gaius.

Arthur had been staring up at the ceiling when he heard quiet but quick footsteps coming from outside his room. It wasn't like the guards positioned out there to shuffle, and he had sent them all home or outside at any rate, so why had he noticed sounds of movement passing his door?

Sliding out from his thick duvet, Arthur slipped his red tunic on and shivered as his door creaked open and drafts crept in. The footsteps had faded around the corner ,so he followed briskly. Arthur had to admit- keeping up with these footsteps hadn't been easy, and he had almost lost them a couple of times; however he was, after a while, standing outside the left turret door. It was slowly tilting open, indicating whoever it was had gone up there.

He walked up the stone steps with ease, feet making minimal noise. He was about to pounce on the figure he saw silhouetted on the wall when he realised the gangly, thin frame and fluttering neckerchief belonged to someone he knew well.

"Merlin?" Arthur frowned.

"Oh-" Merlin jumped turning round to face the king, his face frowning before asking "Were you following me?"

"Following you? Merlin, don't be so ridiculous, a king has better things to do."

"Really? At one in the morning?" His manservant chuckled.

"Fine- yes I was- what do you think you're doing anyway?" At his question, Merlin's head turned away slightly in embarrassment before he answered.

"I, um, couldn't sleep… I just thought I could get a better look at what we'll be facing if I came up here." He pointed towards the cloud.

"It sure does look bigger from up here." Arthur remarked, standing next to Merlin.

"You're not scared, are you sire?"

Arthur only smiled, but his face showed doubt "Not for myself, but my people. What if I can't protect them?"

"You're already doing all that you can. We don't even know what that thing will throw at us yet, so let's worry about that if it comes to it."

"You are right, of course Merlin. I don't know how but you are."

"Just one of my many talents." Merlin beamed.

His smile faltered slightly as light drops of rain spat down on the two. They hadn't realised, but the dark cloud had concealed the first part of Camelot. Its thick shady edges stuck out like thorns, and the raging centre looked like it held a thousand tons of fire.

The rain felt so very light at first, barely visible. Yet, In a matter of seconds it was as hard as hail, beating down on the two of them and soaking them through. Just as they were about to run inside, Merlin shakily pointed out something forming in the clouds. The thick wisps curved and bent into letters, forming words.

_Ready Pendragon? _

"And so it begins" Arthur remarked, before walking back inside with his manservant in tow.


	3. Chapter 3

Smirking. The cloud looked like it was smirking. That's all it had been doing all morning- that and raining slightly. However, such was the suspense that that had been enough to keep most people inside their homes. Arthur had been sure to send warnings out to all the people- they were to stay in their homes or seek refuge in the castle. _So far so good_ the king repeated to himself as he ticked off all tasks for the day. That was when it started.

The jet black sky groaned in despair as its body split into two right down the middle. It was like its shell was being cracked open. Bangs shook the castle as rumbles tore through the cloud. Everyone braced themselves. But no one expected what happened next…

Thousands of small wooden dolls fell from the cloud. The large amount filled up the sky and quickly hurtled to the floor. Each one was dressed slightly differently. Merlin sprinted outside, curious as to why these were Eernseth's choice of attack. Picking two up he observed their wooden frames. Each one looked handmade in the way that the wood was precisely cut, and each feature was made visible. The small clothing garments had beautiful stitches. One doll in particular caught his eye as the colours of his mentor's cloak flashed in the rain. Kneeling down in the abandoned courtyard, Merlin was shocked to see the doll resemble his own guardian Gaius. The robes around the wooden figure clearly the same style- even the same fabric- as those Gaius had been wearing that same day. This new turn of events wasn't making any sense- did this mean that all of these dolls were replicas of real people?

Arthur had been undergoing the latest round table meeting, informing every one of the cloud's attack when his manservant had hurried into the room. His eyes looking slightly panicked, Arthur turned his attention towards him.

"Merlin?" He asked.

"Arth- Sire, I- well, I"

"What is it Merlin?"

"Yeah, speak up mate" Gwaine added.

"Look" He said simply. Merlin's hand opened to reveal the Gaius doll.

"I don't understand." Arthur frowned.

"This- it fell from the sky Arthur- and it's got the exact same garments as Gaius. What if all of those dolls out there are replicas of people?" Merlin explained his theory rather hurriedly.

"Oh… God."

"But what's the point in doing that?" Leon inquired.

"I don't know- but these dolls, I've read about them before" Merlin started.

"Yes, my boy- I know what you're suggesting." Gaius stepped forward, retrieving the doll from Merlin's hand "These are known as voodoo dolls. They're often used, by ways of magic, to harm somebody without actually physically touching them."

"Wait- so if we were to hit that doll you'd feel it?" Lance asked.

"Precisely."

"But why not keep these himself- what's the point in throwing them back to us?" Merlin questioned.

"I don't know Merlin, I really don't. Whatever the reason, it cannot be good. This man knows what he's doing." Gaius said with a grave tone.

"What do you propose we do, Gaius?" Arthur asked.

"The best thing, sire, would be to try and return every doll to its matching owner. That way, each person can keep themselves safe. Just bear in mind that with the amount falling from the sky, that is not going to be easy."

"Alright everyone- outside now. We're going to round up every doll we can and bring it into the main hall, understood?" With collective nods the whole party hurried out.

"Toooo late Pendragon. I'm afraid my cloud doesn't wait for silly little people to make up their minds." Eernseth wickedly laughed, glaring into his crystal ball. He then slammed his staff hard upon the ground, sending up a huge spark towards the cloud.

"Arthur- that doesn't look good!" Merlin yelled as everyone turned to look up at the cloud. They had only just got outside and had a handful of dolls each, when suddenly the cloud's belly roared again and started to split.

"Quicker, quicker men." Arthur ordered, and everyone sprinted around the courtyard, picking up every little doll they could see.

"How are we going to pick up every doll Arthur- they didn't just fall here, you know. There's loads down near the lower town and the gates" But before more orders could be given, the heavens opened up and everyone was bare witness to the fiery depths of the clouds belly.

Red, tangerine and gold shot down from the sky as drops of molten lava spewed like the rain had previously. The lava combusted into flames upon hitting the wet ground, and sent turrets of fire into the streets. Each man stood there in shock as these globules of fire came down from every angle. It was oddly beautiful but deadly.

"Watch out men!" Arthur yelled as they ran for cover.

They slumped into the pillars for makeshift coverage, as blazes of crimson flared up around them.

"Argh!" Leon cried as he slumped down next to one.

"Leon!" Merlin yelled as he leapt over to the fallen knight. There was no flames covering the man nor was he touched by the fire, and yet blistering burns were present, flaring up on his left arm. "We need to get him inside now!" Merlin called. Gwaine and Percival ran over to carry Leon inside.

"Arthur- the fire- it's burning the dolls! That's why he left them here- he's burning people."

"How could someone?... Men quickly- gather as many as you can- salvage as many as you can- send word round to everyone the dolls must be gathered!" Arthur cried, pointing towards his men whilst noticing his manservant's sudden discomfort. He put it beside him though as they continued to run out in-between the flames, picking up more dolls each time.

Merlin couldn't ignore it- the tickling had been the start in his throat, but now his insides felt very hot- too hot. Like he was a piece of wax melting. The prickling sensation continued no matter how much as he tried to ignore it. He ducked outside again, ready to pick up another couple of dolls. Not soon after he did though the last few flames were visible fleeting from the sky. This was a slight relief, but Camelot now had a raging fire on its hands. As soon as he could, Merlin made his way hurriedly from the courtyard; his right leg had been burning as well as his insides. He was sure he heard someone calling his name, but right now water and some sort of ointment were the only two things on his mind. He managed to stagger back to his chambers, but found that Gaius wasn't there. It looked like he had to treat himself. As he attempted to reach for the shelf, Merlin had to let out a gasp of pain. Had he really been hurt that badly? Gathering the ointment, he downed a cup of water, pleased to find it delivered instant relief to his insides. Now for his leg. He rolled up his trouser to find blistering burns there, despite the fact that he hadn't been touched by the fire. As he slowly rubbed the oil in, he realised how this came about. His doll was out there somewhere, and it had been exposed to the flames. It was scary- Merlin was surprised at how shaken he felt; it was as if he was no longer in control of his own danger or actions. With his burn now coated and his insides feeling relatively normal, he swallowed some pain relief and made his way to Arthur.

The young king had seen his manservant's scurry from the courtyard, and had attempted to call him back. Something wasn't right, but he hadn't been able to go after Merlin as he was immediately swamped with advisors and knights. This was going to be a long afternoon.


	4. Chapter 4

Camelot was sizzling. Looking down at the reports made Arthur glum. Just from some wooden dolls, many people in the lower town were now suffering from burns and some even death. Smoke was sill fading from the air, and ashes blew through the towns. He thought he had prepared for everything, yet no weapon had been able to help them in this one. Camelot had recovered, as a whole, pretty quickly, which did come as some reassurance to Arthur. Seeing that his people and men would bounce right back gave him more strength. Knowing that food supplies, water and help was being offered everywhere meant that people were already building back up, ready in case Eernseth attacked again.

In fact, he was so absorbed in his musings and reports, Arthur did not notice his manservant slip into the room and start to tidy. It was only when the manservant came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder that the king jumped right out of his skin.

"Christ Merlin! What are you trying to do?"  
"Um- pick up the pair of socks you're sitting on?"

"You idiot!" Arthur grumbled, before swiftly collecting the sock from his chair "There- happy?"  
"Yes, very, thank you." Merlin chirped. Although, thinking about it, it wasn't his usual chirp. The thought of Merlin's earlier disappearance was brought forward into Arthur's mind

"Where did you get to earlier, Merlin?"

"Hm?"

"Earlier, just as the fire ended and we collected all the dolls, you ran off."

"Well, I wouldn't say I ran, sire."

"But you did go?"

"Yes; I was just-"

"Just what Merlin?"

"Going to see Gaius."

"Gaius? Whatever for?"

"Um… a book?"

"Must've been a book about fairy tales, Merlin, because your lying really isn't up to your usual standard today" Both boys smiled "Now what were you really doing?"

Sighing, Merlin explained "I had to go and get some water andapplysomeointmenttomyleg"

"Water and what Merlin? We both know you mumbled that last part."

"Fine. I had to find some ointment."

"See wasn't that bad was it?" Arthur mused automatically, before taking in what Merlin had said "Wait- water and ointment- why?"

"Um, for… me" Was the quiet reply "I mean- maybe I didn't need it, but from what Gaius has told me burns usually need ointment applying to them."

"Merlin! Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't have to. I went and sorted it, and now it's fine"

"Show me."

"What?"

"Your burn- show me." So with another reluctant sigh, the manservant rolled up his trouser leg to reveal a slightly crusty burn that was red and angry.

"Merlin, that doesn't look fine. Isn't it painful?"

"A little- but, I mean, I took some painkillers so-"

"Your stupidity amuses me Merlin. I want you to go back and wrap that thing properly with a bandage. Drink some water, have some food and then come back, am I understood?"

"Yes Arthur… Thank you."

Arthur rolled his eyes at the retreating figure of Merlin. He could not understand why Merlin had been so reluctant to tell him about his injuries- probably some girly excuse about not wanting to worry anyone. Then again- Arthur would always worry for Merlin, his closest friend. As Arthur mused over Merlin, he realised that he hadn't actually seen any of the flames touch the boy. Of course, there was always the possibility that something happened while he wasn't looking, but there hadn't been a lot of fire around them, and what was there had died away quickly. That meant that the cause of Merlin's burns were from his doll! Of course, this wasn't exactly hard to figure out, but it had only just hit Arthur that his friends' lives were out there in small wooden doll forms. He had always viewed them as sort of invincible; especially when they were all together, but now the damage could be caused without anyone even realising it. That was terrifying. Arthur did not want to think about it, and so raced from the room, ready to collect up all the dolls of his closest friends. It was vital that they were returned back to their owners like Gaius said- or better yet, he mused, why not keep every doll safe in the castle? Then, he would be able to personally protect everyone, and it would be so much easier than having to give everyone their own at the risk that it could cause many consequences. If the wrong person was to come across them… Arthur shuddered at what could happen.

Supposedly every single doll that had fallen from the cloud had been gathered and placed in the main hall. There were thousands; many stacks littered the floor with knights counting the numbers of each. Seeing every single person who lived under his rule suddenly all in one room almost mesmerised Arthur. He often forgot just how big Camelot was, but after seeing such a symbolic reminder of just how many people relied on him as a king, the numbers were hard to ignore. He had called a short round table meeting in his chambers, seeing as the main hall was otherwise occupied. Soon enough everyone was present. They stood and sat around the table in Arthur's room, all quietly murmuring before Arthur spoke.

"I'd just like to say that you've all done a great job in rounding up every doll you can. However, I need to know- were you all able to find your own dolls?"

Out of the 6 men present, only four raised their hands to display their dolls.

"Lance, Leon, Elyan and I all found ours, sire." Percival stated. At this, Arthur gave a nod in acknowledgement.

"So that means we haven't been able to find mine, Gwaine's or Merlin's?" He clarified.

"No sire, unless they have only been discovered recently, we have not seen them."  
A small silence fell around the group as everyone tried to figure out whether this was very serious at all. The dolls could be safe and sound; possibly being carried here now… Or they had been picked up by some bad people, to which anything could happen.

"Let's hope it's not too serious, eh Princess?" Gwaine joked.

"I'm glad you find it funny Gwaine… Although I can only hope you're right." Talk was about to turn to how they should act now when Gwaine noticed -for the fifth time- Merlin hurriedly glance behind him, his eyes slightly panicked.

"Merlin? You alright mate?" At this everyone turned to look at Merlin.

"Fine fine…" The manservant distractedly replied.

"So what's so interesting behind you then?"

"There's just… I don't know, there's something there, can't you feel it? Like someone is just breathing down my neck, but every time I turn- there's no one there."

"Whoa mate- I think you've been reading too many ghost stories!" Gwaine grinned.

But just as Gwaine said this Merlin froze completely- if anything it looked like he was even holding in his own breath. His eyes flashed in alarm for a second, before growing stronger and braver.

"Arthur" Merlin called.

"Yes?"

"E-Eernseth has a message for you."

"What?"

"I can hear him Arthur. He's whispering in my ear- Ow!" The manservant suddenly jumped, rubbing his shoulder "Sorry- Eernseth says… H-hello Arthur Pendragon. I hope you've enjoyed my games so far. After we had such fun with the last one, I thought getting the whole of Camelot involved this time would be a right party!"

"Eernseth! Stop hiding and show yourself!"

Again Merlin was forced to answer. However, this time it was Eernseth's voice that rang out "Now, now- we can't ruin the surprise. I won't take up much more of your time, I just haaaaad to tell you… Lucky me found two particular dolls today. Yes now- this one really does capture Sir Gwaine's hair rather well. And Merlin- why do you feel the need to wear these stupid neckerchiefs? I've got two of your friends Pendragon, I've got a deadly weapon hanging over Camelot- what have you got?"

"I, have the greatest most loyal friends, a strong kingdom and confidence that you will not get away with this." Arthur proudly said, standing up towards the voice of Eernseth.

"Oh but I already am…" Eernseth sung with a cackling laugh before snapping into being deadly serious and speaking breathily "Just a little heads up by the way Merlin, this next one is for you, just a little something from me… to you." And with the Eernseth's voice was shut away, Merlin wavered slightly before slowly sinking to the floor clutching his head in his hands. Immediately everyone was by his side.

"Are you alright Merlin?" Lance asked squeezing one of the boys shoulders

"Yeah… Yeah I'm alright just, sorry, just a little dizzy!" Merlin gasped seeing two of everyone

"Let's get you up" Gwaine huffed as he hauled Merlin up "There we go, tough as nails eh Merlin?"

"Sure" Merlin replied somewhat distracted, one hand still subconsciously on his head as though it was his only means of support. "Arthur, we have to go we have to defend something's coming. I could feel it in him he- was all too ready to let loose whatever he has planned next."

At Merlin's slightly hysterical speech Arthur addressed the group with several tasks on how each person was to ensure they were fully prepared, whilst giving Merlin a reassuring nod. With fuelled determination and a better inkling of what Eernseth had at hand, everyone prepared to up their game.


	5. Chapter 5

Eernseth's words stung Merlin's ears. This next attack was for him… But what could that entail? It was bound to be something more personal, that would have meaning to him... Wait. He mentally slapped himself- he shouldn't be thinking about himself right now. This was a danger that the whole of Camelot was going to face, and if Merlin couldn't get his mind to think straight over his own issues, then how was he going to be of help to anyone? Tucking his own worries away, Merlin decided to focus on anything other than that.

On the other hand, there was some good news; a knight by the name of Galahad had come across Arthur's doll in a gutter in the lower town. He had said how lucky he was to see it, as it was so dark and he just managed to save it from certain peril… At that last part, Merlin had to admit he was a little reluctant to believe the knight. Clearly he was exaggerating the story in order to reap more praise and even reward from the king. Yet he was very grateful that the doll was now always on Arthur's person, meaning he was much more safe.

A cold night passed by, diminishing any trail of smoke of flames left from Eernseth's previous attack, leaving a blank canvas for the next threat to make its mark. The morning had passed relatively smoothly. Everyone was determined and ready, and had made preparations as sorted as they could be. Therefore, when the clouds moaned in distress again and the puffy layers tore open, everyone was already standing, ready.

Each knight had their own group and positioning. Depending on the attack, it would be their decision whether to start evacuating, to fight or to come up with any more helpful solution; it was all hands on deck. Merlin had been keeping as near to Arthur as he could, knowing that this was a situation of high danger to the king. The two were just patrolling through the courtyard with a small band of knights when the rumbling had caused them all to look up at the sky; this time, the wisps of the white cloud shifted into words.

_From me to you._

An exact replica of what Eernseth had told Merlin previously. Arthur glanced nervously at his manservant. Of course he was concerned- if this attack was to be made personal to Merlin then it seemed he would be the one most at risk, and Arthur wasn't going to let Eernseth get anywhere near killing him. Not like last time.

The cloud was now torn in two, and everyone watched in anticipation as the rumbling ceased and silence fell upon the land. No birds chirped. All movements stopped. A sudden rushing sound pricked at Merlin's ears. He recognised the sound; he had heard it all too well before when…

"Sand!" Merlin's voice broke the silence and Arthur turned to him "Arthur, it's sand, that's what's coming- sand!" Merlin was on edge. Every sense in his body was ready to run, and yet he didn't- none of them did. Arthur heard everything Merlin said, the feeling of utmost danger dropped like a weight in his stomach- and yet just like Merlin, he turned back to look at the cloud. He saw the beginning waves of sand come melting down from the sky. Sand isn't particularly dangerous, but the waves created by the cloud were huge- almost as tall as Camelot's castle itself. Each wave was more menacing than the next, and they beat upon them with a force that was close to breaking the stronghold of Camelot's design.

"QUICK MEN, INSIDE!" Arthur yelled.

Everyone surrounding their group made for the nearest door- the main entrance. Maybe if they would've reacted quicker, the sand wave wouldn't have managed to overrun them- but it did. Merlin could feel the steps beneath his feet, but at that moment he was bombarded, as were they all. The wave of the sand bore down upon them, breaking as though it were the sea. Everyone was washed about, trying to find the surface and come up for air. Merlin couldn't see. He felt like tumbleweed being spun and twirled, forced and shoved in every direction. Nothing filled his vision, only the pain of sand. He couldn't do this. His arms and legs attempted in every way possible to pull him from the sand, but he was fading, failing. Flashbacks to Eernseth and the sand timer filled his head, and he was suddenly trapped, there were walls all around him and the sand was filling up too fast, it was in his system, the tiny rock particles flowing inside every vein he had, his body becoming heavy, his eyes closing...

Arthur.

The sudden thought flashed before him. He couldn't give up; Arthur had been washed away with the sand too. Focusing on getting the air into his lungs, Merlin forced his feeble body to the surface. Struggling with all his might, his head breached the surface and he gasped in every lungful of air he could. He saw the sand still moving around; it was as though it wouldn't stand still. He was sucked under a couple of times, but soon enough his foot found land. He had made his way to the steps, which provided some grounding away from the sea-like sand. His body bobbed reasonably above the sand now, but his eyes were roaming around for only one person… _Come on Arthur, now would be a great time to show off your big headed pratness._

"Arthur?" He called out breathily. His eyes were glued to every bit of sand he could find until he saw him- a red cloak fleetingly visible under the sand, and a ring- one that only the king wears- washing under.

_Oh no you don't_ Merlin said to himself, before sucking in one last breath and diving back into the depths of the sand. He knew where he was heading, and tried to keep his head above the rushing sand. It was exhausting. All his strength was set towards one goal. Reaching what he thought was the right spot, Merlin began to travel further with his arms, desperately trying to make contact with Arthur without losing himself in the sand at the same time. His movements became quicker, more desperate as he felt himself falling under; but that was when he grasped it. The front of Arthur's chainmail. With a sigh of relief, Merlin tried his best to heave Arthur from the depths of the sand. Hoisting the king up, Merlin carried him through the sand much like the time he had with Sophia, except this time he wasn't sure he could make it. His head sunk further under the sand with every step. It seemed each grain of sand was doing its best to latch onto him, pulling him down into their darkest depths. He had to get Arthur to safety. He had to. Had to. That was the thought that pulled him through to the steps. He pushed his king onto the steps, rolling him up so that he couldn't fall down, despite the fact that that was what was happening to himself. Without realising it, he had used magic to keep all his strength up through that trek; his magic had reacted to Arthur's peril and saved them both. Well- almost. Merlin felt his legs giving way to the sand that was tempting him down further. His magic. He had to use his magic now. Quickly scouring through his muddled brain, he managed to find the spell he was looking for. He pushed his head up and went to cast-

Slap.

A foot came down on Merlin's hand and pushed it down so that his whole arm was being held down. Shocked, Merlin's head jerked up to see Eernseth looking down on him.

"Tut, tut, tut Merlin- using magic in Camelot… How stupid of you."

"Get off me" Merlin grunted in an attempt to free his arm, his magic all to ready to blast this man into the sand himself. His eyes started to flare gold as his magic took hold, the spell ready in his brain to stop this man once and for all.

"_Swnephae" _Eernseth whispered quickly, beating Merlin to a spell. "Too slow Merlin" Eernseth sung.

"What- what have you done?" Merlin asked his fatigue suddenly swooping in on him, like his magic had been put to rest. Before he could hear the reply, he was out cold.

Spluttering, Arthur's body convulsed as he jumped upright. His mouth feeling as dry as a desert, Arthur's bleary eyes adjusted to the scene. He remembered the masses of sand that had swallowed him whole, he remembered trying to find Merlin- or anyone, for that matter- and then he remembered sinking. But no- he didn't, because then there was someone there, calling his name and hauling him back up from the depths.

"Pendragooon, wake up nooow." A sinister voice made its way to Arthur's ears, and he pulled his head up to be met with the sight of Eernseth, as evil-looking as the first time they met.

"Eernseth. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Arthur coughed.

"I was just curious as to how my sand was faring. It seemed you didn't hold up much of your own- in fact, if it wasn't for Merlin here, you'd be dead!" Eernseth mocked whilst giggling. Arthur craned his neck to see his manservant, the sand lapping at his body, waiting for a moment to swallow him whole. His friend didn't look good, and if what Eernseth said was true then Merlin had just risked his life again for Arthur. He also noticed the fact that Eernseth was the only thing keeping his friend from certain doom.


	6. Chapter 6

"Let him go Eernseth."  
"Ohh, I'm not too sure you'd want me to do that Arthur. If I did, he'd sink slowly and painfully, drowned by all this sand."  
Arthur shuddered a little before adding "You know what I meant. Give him to me."

"I could give him to you- but you would have to give me something in return!"

"What? Gold, riches, money- I would willingly pay the price."

"Not so much riches Pendragon, but your own safety." Eernseth smiled wickedly.

"I'm not too sure what you mean." Arthur stated, on edge as to where this could be going.

"Did you not find your voodoo doll?"

"Yes I did, but-"

"But nothing" Eernseth interrupted "That is the price I ask. Give me your doll in exchange for Merlin."

"And what exactly do you plan to do with these dolls? I know you already have Merlin's and Gwaine's."

"Ah well, I'm afraid you're just going to have to trust me there Pendragon. My needs are of no importance just yet… Do we have a deal?" Eernseth asked, holding out his arm in gesture for the doll. Untucking the doll that had been securely wrapped around his belt, Arthur knew he'd much rather have Merlin safe than his doll in safety. So, confidently, he made the swap, placing the miniature of himself in Eernseth's hands.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" Eernseth smirked before stepping sideways and vanishing into thin air. Merlin was left sliding into the sand behind where Eernseth once stood.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried, leaping forward and managing to grab the man's wrists before he was under completely. With a swift pull, Arthur dragged Merlin to safety.

"Arthur?" Merlin called croakily.

"Yes Merlin?" Arthur answered, relieved at hearing the familiar voice.

"Would- would you mind not dragging me along the ground?"

"Oh, I do apologise Merlin!" Arthur smiled, hauling Merlin up so they could both stand "Just trying to save your scrawny backside!"

"I can handle my own backside thank you very much." Merlin teased as both men clambered up the steps before slumping down on the top row, exhausted.

"You look terrible" Arthur commented

"I assure you ,sire, you don't look any better…" To which there was a small chuckle before "Arthur, you shouldn't have done that."

"Hm?"

"Traded your doll away. Eernseth could do anything to you now, and we wouldn't have any idea!"

"Merlin, there was no way I would choose my safety over your life. You're more than just a servant you know- and anyway, I have reason to believe that I should be thanking you." At the quiet response, Merlin went slightly red at the ears, before trying to convince his king that it was nothing.

"Merlin" Arthur's voice stopped the man's ramblings as a sincere "Thank you" Was shared "… I would, of course, like to know what exactly happened, but we have more important things to worry about."

Luckily for Camelot, the waves didn't crash for too long. It seemed they had depleted their main burst of energy at the beginning, and gradually slowed to a standstill. However this did, at first, cause the problem of how the hell they were going to remove so much sand from all of Camelot. It didn't seem possible. But it was soon picked upon that particles of the sand were being slowly sucked back up into the air. It didn't happen all at once- rather more swiftly and secretly. By the time they had all slept- or not slept in Merlin's case- pretty much all of the sand had been removed from Camelot's floors and towns.

The sand had made more of a mental scar on Merlin than he at first realised. Of course, nearly drowning at the hands of the stuff for a second time hadn't helped at all. Every time he managed to drift off, his mind would conjure up dreams of the sand beating down on him relentlessly, and then dragging away everyone he loved, leaving him powerless to do anything. Therefore, when Merlin woke in sweat again for the third time that night, he decided enough was enough. He would just have to sit through the night… That, however proved tougher than he thought. After another half an hour, Gaius came barging into Merlin's room. Hearing the constant creaking of floorboards had woken him up.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Gaius demanded.

"Um.. Pacing?"

"Why on Earth, Merlin, are you pacing so late at night?"

With a sigh Merlin slumped onto his mattress "I couldn't sleep, Gaius. The sand- it keeps invading my dreams. I'd rather not sleep at all."

"Oh my boy" Gaius spoke softly, sitting down next to his ward "You're so much braver than anyone knows. Don't let it defeat you like this; the brain works in mysterious ways, and this has not been easy for you to take- whether you've noticed it subconsciously or not. It will get better, but for now, let me get you a sleeping draught."

"Thank you Gaius" Merlin breathed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

As Gaius handed over the vial Merlin thanked him again, drunk it in one swift gulp and rearranged himself on the mattress.

"Goodnight Gaius" Merlin called as Gaius turned and looked fondly at Merlin.

"Goodnight" He replied before closing Merlin's door and returning to bed himself.

That morning Gaius woke early. He was preparing medicine for his rounds- plus the extra for people's burn treatments- when Arthur let himself into their rooms.

"Ah sire, how can I help you?" Gaius greeted him warmly.

"Well Gaius, I was wondering if you'd seen Merlin anywhere..."

"I have sire. He is in his room…But" Gaius added as Arthur halted in his steps over to Merlin's room. "I would ask, Arthur, that you please let him rest. He didn't have the best night last night, you see, and is utterly exhausted."

"Of course Gaius.. thank you for telling me. What exactly happened?" Arthur inquired. At first Gaius was a little reluctant to tell the king, but seeing how he was acting right now, Gaius decided he may as well know.

"The sand, Arthur. You know, of course, that he did not have a pleasant time with Eernseth last time, and now he's had it even worse. The physical injuries weren't bad at all, but the mental ones were more hard hitting than any of us realised. Merlin didn't want to go back to sleep after he had constant nightmares yesterday- I ended up giving him a sleeping draught." The old man explained, after which Arthur was slightly surprised and concerned. He knew the sand had been Eernseth's personal attack on Merlin, but the boy had hidden himself so well. Arthur had sussed something was slightly wrong but he didn't track it back to being as serious as this was.

"Gaius- I had no idea. Of course, Merlin can take the day off if he needs to." Arthur pushed, hoping that when Merlin woke he would take the offer.

"Thank you sire. I'll be sure to keep an eye on him." Gaius gave a knowing smile, seemingly sensing that Arthur was concerned. Gaius' words had been reassuring, so Arthur got on with his duties as best as he could without the help of one clumsy manservant.


	7. Chapter 7

"Eernseth has been allowed to attack us and Camelot for too long. We need to find a way to get to him." Arthur started the inevitable debate at the round table meeting.

"And how, Princess, do you suggest we do that? He could be anywhere." Gwaine commented.

"Gwaine puts forward a good point." Lance answered "But there has to be a way!"

"Actually, Lancelot- I think you could be right" Gaius interrupted as he entered the room. He was carrying a torn, dusty book "I've been reading, and from my observations based on this strange cloud, I think Eernseth has cast a suffering spell. The wielder of the spell is allowed to present the suffering however they wish, for example- in the form of a cloud."

"Aha, so Eernseth has used this enchantment to breach Camelot" Leon summarised.

"Indeed… However, I also then came across something very interesting." Gaius said.

"And what would that be Gaius?" Arthur questioned.

"Well, to be able to wield a spell such as this- especially on such a large scale- the user would have to be very close to the attack. The only way Eernseth could do a spell like this would be for him to be in Camelot."

"You mean to say he's been within our walls this entire time?" Arthur queried.

"I'm afraid so sire."

"But we can now use this to our advantage!" Gwaine hurried to say "With Eernseth in Camelot, it makes him so much easier to track."

"I agree. That's our next step of action then- we will start sending out search groups to catch Eernseth." Arthur concluded.

With this news, everyone left the room much happier than before, knowing now that the games had turned in their favour. Before Gaius could scurry back to Merlin, Arthur had beckoned him aside. "Thank you Gaius" He said.

"Think nothing of it sire" Gaius replied before patting the boy's arm and leaving.

Merlin hadn't needed to know anything about having a day off; by the time he had woken up, dusk was approaching fast and the sun was already setting. He was, however, quickly brought up to date on the situation, and their new plan to track Eernseth. The dreamless sleep Gaius' potion had put him under had done him a world of good. Feeling refreshed and re-energised, the manservant scurried around his room- spontaneously deciding to tidy it up a little.

The peace didn't last for long. Merlin heard a loud bang as the physicians door was slammed open; he peeked around the door frame seeing a shadow and momentarily freezing, before he noticed the wild but glamorous hair that could only belong to his friend Gwaine.

"Gwaine!" Merlin called as he came down from his room.

"Merlin- stay back- I don't know what the hell's going on but I can't control myself!" Gwaine's panicked tone started to scare Merlin so he stayed near the steps, conscious of what his friend was doing and that it was Eernseth causing all of this.

"I can't stop it Merlin, what do I do?" Gwaine's voice had a hint of fear this time, and Merlin realised he better say something.

"Gwaine, I need you to focus. This is your body and your mind, remember. If you don't want him there then kick him out. You have to concentrate on every action he wants you to do and go against that, okay?" Meerlin explained slowly, making sure that Gwaine was hearing every word. There was a pause.

"Come on Eernseth" Gwaine teased "That all you got?"

With a raised yell, Gwaine charged towards a table, but managed to stop himself before he collided with it. This stop start reaction happened a few times. Merlin used his magic every now and then, subtly, just to ensure that Gwaine wasn't getting harmed. Finally, the actions ceased and Gwaine shuddered in a breath.

"Gwaine?" Merlin called, stepping forward.

"Omph" The knight grunted and bent in on himself, as though he had been punched. A sing song voice rung out in the air.

_See how it feels sir Gwaine. _

It chuckled, before erupting out around them, growing quieter and quieter.

Merlin knelt down beside his friend "What happened Gwaine?" Merlin asked.

"That no good toad! He punched me!" Gwaine angrily replied, hands clenched tightly into fists.

"Sit down for me Gwaine, that's it. I need to have a look." Ignoring his protests, Merlin pulled up the knight's shirt. Seeing the purple blotch forming was a concern to Merlin, however with a bit of feeling around he determined that no ribs had been broken. "You know how he did this, don't you?" Merlin's grave tone asked.

"Voodoo?"

"Yep." Merlin confirmed.

"He has way too much control." Arthur declared, slamming him fist on his desk.

"I know Arthur. I don't like it either." Merlin admitted "Although, Gaius' new information does put forward some new plans of action."

"Yes it does, but Camelot's a big place Merlin. Sure, our limits have closed in now, but we don't know when he could attack again."

"We don't have a choice Arthur. It comes down to finding him, or sitting here waiting for the next attack."

"And I'm not one for sitting around." Arthur added.

"Well, we've all realised that sire." Merlin chirped, granting him a whack in the head courtesy of Arthur.

"Looks like we've got a madman to find" Arthur spoke, strength building in him as he stood taller.


	8. Chapter 8

An hour later found various search parties venturing into every building in Camelot. Arthur had ordered that the knights be as polite as possible to the villagers, as he didn't want to disrupt them any further, however everyone was to be careful as they had no clue which building held Eernseth. So far, the patrols hadn't been successful, but no one was willing to give up- not when that cloud of doom hung above them, almost making the air heavier to breathe.

Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine made up a small party in the lower town. Most of the buildings there were much older than the others, and so didn't have amazingly big spaces. They were coming down to the last few on the row. From there, their search would've been fruitless if Eernseth wasn't found. They had hope though- of course they did- after all, he could be anywhere in Camelot. There were still plenty of places to look.

Gwaine and Arthur went up to the next door, as it was Merlin's turn to be on watch. They had kept rotating it, so that if any one suspicious should pass by they wouldn't miss it.

Merlin had to admit- for a place that had been spewed on with fire for a couple of days, it was relatively cold. The chill in the air tensed Merlin's muscles. He puffed air out into his hands and rubbed them together a subconscious act to warm himself a little. However, just as he took his hands away, he saw a shadow silhouetted on the wall opposite him. The figure was cloaked, fairly small in stature and very suspicious. Taking no chances, Merlin started to creep towards where he thought the source of the shadow was. However, his chances though were too slim and the figure sensed him coming. Quickly as it came, the shadow fled, but Merlin was determined not to let it out of his sight.

"ARTHUR! GWAINE!" Merlin yelled frantically, whilst sprinting off after the shadow.

"That was Merlin!" Arthur snapped. Neither needed to speak- they both ran from the house, managing to catch sight of Merlin running off down an alley.

Corners, dips and turns all blurred around Merlin as he focused his efforts on following the strange cloaked figure. It felt as though he had run half way around Camelot, but he finally came to a standstill outside a rather rundown house. It was large and sturdy in structure, but its paint was peeling and the wood looked raw and weak. Now, standing still, Merlin got a chance to see the purple fog that was descending on Camelot. He hadn't noticed it before because of the shadow, but as he tilted his head towards the sky, he saw the final message.

_Prepare to die_

The words were carved into the clouds. Deciding that it was probably safe to enter the strange house, Merlin cautiously made his way to the front, making sure to open the door slowly.

Arthur and Gwaine were so very close to losing Merlin. They had, at one point, taken a wrong turn which resulted in a lot of cursing, before Arthur had managed to spot slight footprints in the dust. The purple mist had also been noticed by them. It wasn't thick, but it seemed to be growing, and the evil message in the cloud only told them that this purple smoke was not good news. Just minutes after Merlin, they arrived at the house. They saw the door was already open, inviting them in.

Arthur had panicked slightly at not finding Merlin straight away. However, down the end of the first corridor, they had turned a right and found Merlin. He was crouched awkwardly next to a door, head against the wood, big ears listening around. The smile grew on Arthur's face, partly because the idiot was alright and partly because he looked like an even bigger idiot with his face pressed against a door.

"What are we listening for?" Gwaine chuckled as they came up to Merlin. Gwaine mocked him, putting his own ear against the wall.

"Very funny Gwaine" Merlin replied, smirking "Actually, this is where I saw the person go in… I was listening for any sound of Eernseth."

"Did you hear anything?"

"No- just silence… That's why I don't like this. It all seems too creepy."

"Not one of your funny feelings again?" Arthur joked, but his smile faltered slightly as Merlin's only reply was a deadly serious one " Something like that." With nothing more to say, Merlin carefully lifted the ring on the door and silently pushed it open to reveal a spiral staircase, leading only downwards.


	9. Chapter 9

Stone steps carried the trio downwards. Still in darkness, they had to feel around the wall to their left and right in order not to trip. Cobwebs brushed Merlin's face and tickled his neck, sending chills down his spine. But soon enough they had all made it safely to the base of the stairs.

There was a small glow from the room up ahead. Creeping further and further towards it, Merlin glanced at Arthur, who nodded in return. They would continue, straight to the source.

They were now crouching down by the stone pillars that opened up into the bright room, and from there, everyone could make out the slimy, green face of Eernseth. He was busy jumping around in glee and chanting some sort of spell. The scene confused the three to say the least, and Arthur wracked his brain to come up with some kind of plan-

"Enter, please. You do not have to hide in the shadows." Eernseth's smug voice echoed around the hall, but none of them moved. "Merlin, Gwaine, Arthur. Comeee on- I know you're there." Eernseth cooed. As unsure as all of them were, they had no choice now but to shift themselves from their crouched positions and make their way towards Eernseth, swords positioned at the ready.

"Now, now- what brings you to my humble abode?" Eernseth questioned, grinning toothily.

"You." Arthur announced "I demand you stop the attacks on Camelot!" He bravely spoke.

"Oh Arthur, I am so sorry, but it seems I can no longer control those attacks." Eernseth giggled.

"What do you mean?" Merlin ventured.

"I mean what I say. I have ordered my last and final attack- didn't you read the cloud?"

"Yes we did, but that doesn't mean we can't stop you."

"Really? And how do you plan to do that exactly?" Eernseth demanded.

"We know that you have to stay in Camelot for the spell to hold… But if we were to get you outside Camelot's walls, the spell would fall!" Merlin exclaimed putting the pieces together as he spoke. But his speech was only met by laughter from Eernseth

"And what- I'm just going to trot off outside Camelot, am I?"

"Yes. Either that, or we'll make you." Gwaine declared, cracking his knuckles.

"Good luck there; I'm not easily swayed. I'm not leaving. Camelot deserves to suffer- no one gets away with winning. Not in my games."

"We beat you before, and we will do it again."

"And that's just why I'm back. You were the first to have ever won, you know… And that isn't something I take lightly."

"But that's stupid- all this- Killing innocent people over some bloody game?!" Gwaine argued, fuming.

"IT'S NOT STUPID!" Eernseth roared "YOU… you wouldn't understand…"

"Please Eernseth, you have to stop this. Condemning innocent people to die like this isn't fair." Merlin tried to reason with him, but Eernseth was not a man to be reckoned with. With a flash of his sleeve, Eernseth now held Merlin's voodoo.

"You know what isn't fair, Merlin?" The man started, positioning his fingers around the doll's back. "Sometimes innocent people have to suffer." He stabbed a needle straight into the doll's back. Immediately pain flared inside of Merlin and he gasped in agony, falling to the floor.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled in alarm, kneeling quickly beside his friend "What have you done?"

"Oh, I've done nothing yet." Eernseth laughed again, twisting at the doll's arm. However, Merlin didn't make a sound this time. He was determined not to give Eernseth the pain he craved. Despite the fact his arm felt like it had been split in two, Merlin lifted his face from the ground and stared at Eernseth, courage ever present through his eyes. Defiantly, he rose to stand- with a little help from Arthur- and managed to clamber onto his feet. Again Eernseth came at the doll's arm stabbing it with one of his prized needles. Gasping, Merlin faltered, and he leant heavily on Arthur.

"Don't!" Arthur cried.

"STOP! YOU WILL STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Gwaine yelled. He sprinted towards Eernseth, ready to deliver a painful blow to the man's skull. He stopped short when his breath suddenly hitched in his throat, his lungs no longer receiving oxygen. Eernseth, holding Gwaine's doll now, laughed darkly, vengefully as the knight choked. Arthur, noticing this, left Merlin and charged towards Eernseth, managing to get a slice into the man's shoulder. The pressure on Gwaine's throat lifted, and he took a moment to regain his breath.

"Come on then Pendragon!" Eernseth encouraged.

Blood pumping, Arthur swiped again at Eernseth, going for the attack. However, the sorcerer was clever, and somehow the disfigured man managed to avoid most of Arthur's blows. Turning on Arthur now, Eernseth produced the king's doll with a flourish, and started to press down on its shoulders. Arthur felt his arm movements becoming weak, and he started to melt to the floor. But then there was Merlin. The boy was up, and leapt onto the sorcerer, knocking both him and the man to the floor. As they fell, they both wrestled; Merlin was trying everything he could to take the dolls from Eernseth's hands, but he was thwarted every time. Soon he was thrown off, as Eernseth cast his magic. By now, both Arthur and Gwaine had recovered, and it was their turn to come at Eernseth with double the strength. As one attacked, the other would skilfully come up with a way to catch Eernseth off guard. However, as Eernseth still had the dolls, he still enjoyed the advantage. As he skilfully whacked the miniature versions in his hand, both Arthur and Gwaine's shots became weaker, meaning Eernseth could block much more efficiently. Because he was playing around with Arthur and Gwaine's voodoos, he failed to notice the sly manservant that had crept up from behind him. With a yell Merlin jumped on the man from behind, sending them clattering to the floor once more. This time, however, the dolls were knocked from Eernseth's hands, and Merlin was able to scoop them all up quickly, avoiding Eernseth who was attempting to grab him. Whilst Eernseth struggled on the floor, Arthur and Gwaine took advantage of the moment. Arthur jumped around the man and kept him pinned down, while Gwaine came right up to Eernseth's face and dealt an almighty punch, knocking the man straight into unconsciousness. Breathing heavily from the tough fighting and the strain put on their wounds, each man laughed slightly in utter relief and triumph.

"We can't sit here for long." Merlin, thinking out loud, broke the light silence " No doubt he will wake soon, and if we want to save Camelot, we have to get him outside the city."


	10. Chapter 10

With that, they all took a limb of Eernseth, managing, between them, to lift him. They scampered from the house, using all their might. Outside was horrendous. The purple fog had thickened, leaving a weird feeling about. It tasted funny, Merlin thought as he stepped outside, hang on- he recognised that scent, and that sting… It was hemlock! Somehow the purple fog was stacked full of the stuff.

"It's poison!" He cried "Cover your mouth!" So, with slight alarm, they all did so, not minding that Eernseth now dragged along the ground from the lack of hands available to hold him up. The three managed to make it through the last part of the lower town and reached the gate. The gate that would undo all of this, save Camelot and hopefully destroy the poisonous air. As they shuffled through the gateway, fresh air soon reached their systems. Removing the sleeve from his face, Merlin sucked in deep breaths, glad that his head was now thinking clearer instead of swimming with purple. They dropped Eernseth to the floor, and watched Camelot anxiously.

Nothing happened at first, nor did it happen a few minutes after. Then the cloud rumbled. Its large roar swept through the land, and soon heavy rainfall drenched Camelot. The rain was washing away the fog. Once the fog had been cleared, the cloud shrunk and shrunk in size until it became a white wisp of air. Then it evaporated into nothing.

"It is done. It's over!" Arthur announced; relief and tiredness shone through his face. They shared meaningful looks over towards Camelot, as the place they called home was safe from danger once more.

Epilogue

Camelot had suffered harshly through Eernseth's game. The numbers of death were much higher than Arthur would've liked, and various ceremonies took place to remember and thank all those who lost their lives. The tale of how Eernseth was stopped had spread through Camelot like wildfire, and many people had now encouraged faith in their king, as well as more respect for Gwaine and Merlin. After the fog had lifted, all of the wooden dolls simply powdered into dust, never to hurt their lookalikes again.

Merlin's injuries hadn't been too bad. He had to get a sling for his arm and shoulder, but it would all heal in time. This kept him from a couple of days' work, but other than that, he was pretty pleased at the outcome. Gwaine and Arthur had only sustained minor wounds too, it was mainly exhaustion that was keeping them all in their beds. Arthur's mind was abuzz from how everything had happened over the short course of just a week. Half of it didn't seem possible, and yet it had all happened here in Camelot. Arthur was only grateful for the friends he had. Thinking back to Gwaine and Merlin's help, they had done so much- if not, more than Arthur- to providing the safety of Camelot, and he was forever in awe of them. Merlin seemed more like a puzzle by the day. Arthur wondered whether he would truly understand the man, but he wouldn't have him any other way. He did also know, however, that meeting Eernseth again hadn't been easy for his manservant. It hadn't been easy on any of them, but bringing back the sand had been a cruel move. So when Merlin came back the next day and was (if possible) sloppier than usual, or didn't talk as much, Arthur didn't say anything. When he found Merlin on the turret again, one night he wasn't going to say anything, but Merlin had then opened up to him more than Arthur had ever seen before. Of course, Arthur did most of the talking, but when it came to Merlin's replies Arthur sensed the pure emotions from him, and was only glad that he hadn't been harmed further. Merlin may be an idiot, but he was one idiot Arthur couldn't live without.

Camelot only grew from there onwards. The bonds between people were stronger than ever before.

As for Eernseth- the twisted man had been held outside Camelot's walls. The hemlock gas had affected his brain, making him completely senseless. Everyone was still unsure of whether to risk him coming back into Camelot in case the curse was opened again. Eventually, he was charged with death, and a sword was brought outside of Camelot to finish the man. He was shackled to a post as the knight came forward to slay Eernseth. The gleaming sword was drawn to the sky before a sharp, swift movement sent it racing toward the grinning sorcerer… As the sword hit, the man vanished, his cloak left fluttering in the air and a voodoo doll left rolling, unseen, in the grass.

Well to everyone who read this thank you very much and i hope you all enjoyed it! I appreaciate every single review i got, it is great to know just how many Merlin fans there still are out there :) Thank you again :D


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